Background:  Factors influencing hearing aid outcomes such as hearing sensitivity, age and gender have been widely studied with factors such as social networks, mental health and service delivery models not being readily investigated.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify and describe factors that influence hearing aid outcomes including social networks, self-reported mental health and service delivery models.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional online survey was sent to hearing aid users recruited through an online platform (www.hearingtracker.com) between October and November 2021. The survey contained questions on patient demographics, audiological, general health and social factors, and self-reported hearing aid outcomes using the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA). Regression models evaluated potential contributing factors of hearing aid outcomes on the IOI-HA.

Results: 398 hearing aid users completed the survey with an average age of 66.6 (13. SD) years of which 59.3% were male. Positive contributing factors of hearing aid outcomes (IOI-HA total score) were social network of people with hearing loss with hearing aids (p<0.010; 0.03 Exp B [0.01, 0.1 95% CI]), self-reported mental health (p< 0.05; 0.6 Exp B [0.01, 1.2 95% CI]), work situation (p<.001, 1.9 Exp B [0.7, 2.8 95% CI]), quality of life (p<.005; 1.2 Exp B [0.3, 1.1 95% CI]) and self-reported hearing difficulty (p<.02; 0.8 Exp B [0.2, 1.5 95% CI]). Negative contributing factors of hearing aid outcomes included social networks of people with hearing loss without hearing aids (p<.001; -0.1 Exp B [-0.3, 0.1 95% CI]) and service delivery model from a private or university clinic and big box retailers (p<.003; Exp B [-2.6, 0.5 95% CI]).

Conclusion: Novel factors including social network of persons with hearing loss who use hearing aids, self-reported mental health, service delivery model and work situation are significant contributors to hearing aid outcomes.  These newly identified factors can inform public hearing health promotion and individualized audiological care to optimize hearing aid outcomes. Future investigations should further consider and explore these factors to strengthen evidence on their relationship with hearing aid outcomes.

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